Now YUCHI Me, Now You Don’t

Look to London for this up-and-coming line.

I admit it—I'm a MySpace member. Mind you, I'm not logged in whiling away office hours obsessively MySpacing (since it is now a recognized verb among my peers) boyfriend's exes, mocking mortal enemies or stalking crushes like some people I know, but I am on there. I've noticed an increasing amount of companies, magazines, boutiques, musicians and actors using MySpace as an advertising tool to seem "down" with the younger generations—on many levels, this is more and more disconcerting. Really, I can't complain because without the online freak show that is MySpace, I probably would have never run across London label, YUCHI, by 30-year-old designer Ivan Lan (The label name comes from Ivan's given name, YU-Chieh).

From MySpace I went to his website and found spring/summer and autumn/winter collections that were gestural, alluring, and modern—as Outkast once put it, "So fresh and so clean." YUCHI is only one and a half years old and thankfully devoid of the usual pseudo-avant-garde design tricks apparent in other young labels. His unfettered approach to fashion is cool mix of Preen, the '80s, and Frank Gehry architecture; a play between hard and soft shapes. While both 2007 lines are sculptural; the spring/summer line is airy and utterly elegant while the autumn/winter 2007/08 line is deliciously androgynous and utilitarian. I sat down with Ivan to ask him a few questions about his line, MySpace and London (and if you were wondering, yes, he's now my MySpace friend).

First things first! How did you get started?
At 14 years old, I made up my mind to be a fashion designer after my older sister gifted me with the Japanese fashion magazine, Men's No-No. It was inspirational! I went to London in 1999 for a BA in Fashion Studies at the London College of Fashion, and then went for my MA in Fashion Design at the University of Westminster. After getting my MA and working with various designers, I finally felt that I was ready to set up my own label.

Who inspires you? Favorite designers?
I love Balenciaga-Nicholas Ghesquiere, Boudicca, Undercover, Viktor and Rolf, and Helmut Lang.

What was your aesthetic for the Spring/Summer 2007 collection?
For the SS07 collection, I was inspired by modern, minimal interior details. I wanted to create a stunning women's wear collection that contrasted sharp tailoring with geometric shapes with soft, feminine draped lines. My inspiration was born out of my love of interior design details: sharp wallpaper patterns; trims such as large curtain eyelets; crisp, linear lines taken from window blinds; and soft, ruffled layers of curtains. I've transformed these details into a collection of unique, wearable forms.

What about your autumn/winter 2007/08 collection?
I took the theme of "Misplaced Emotion" and used it as a design concept to express emotions floating or misplaced in cyberspace. The collection features YUCHI's signature clean cuts and design details from soft, pleated ruffle skirts to slim-fit jumpers to narrow-shouldered tailored jackets paired with slim-cut, irregularly pleated trousers—I also used key accents like metallic details. A must-have look from this collection pairs soft drapery with linear and sculptured tailored pieces.

Is art an inspiration to your work? Do you have a Favorite museum?
I love mixed media art, modern sculpture, '70s product design, and digital images—they really get my creativity flowing. I also work in an emotional way; I take inspiration from my own feelings about an event or things that happen in my life. The Tate and V&A are my favorite museums to visit.

Let's talk about MySpace. How effective is it for marketing your line?
My friends told me about MySpace, so I decided to promote myself by setting up a profile for YUCHI. So far, I've made tons of contacts and met people from all over the world who love fashion. MySpace is a very effective and unique promotional and marketing tool!

How do the English see style differently than America?
London is a melting pot for creative ideas. London's mix and match style has always given inspiration to fashion designers. London also has a very culture-oriented background that allows for designers to merge modern and classy. London style is packed with lots of new, original ideas and new trends—maybe it's less commercial? The US, on the other hand, has a very commercial fashion industry. I see simple, fresh, wearable designs as the selling point for US fashion labels.

What are you wearing now in this winter/spring transitional period?
I always mix and match clothing together to create my own style. I would call it "indie" mixed with YUCHI or other designer pieces.

Warm weather is nearly upon us! Tell us your favorite warm weather vacation spot? Favorite springtime haunt and food?
Any beautiful sandy beach will make me very happy. I love any Asian cuisine.

For more please visit, http://www.yuchifashion.com.

- Chako Suzuki